Children Waiting for the Day
by 100TenMillion
Summary: Heather centric. Witness how she became the evil snob she is today, from newborn to 16. Warning: WILL get depressing...
1. Chapter 1

Children waiting for the day…

Episode 1: Newborn

She came into the world at long last. Nine months, for nine months she had been in her mummy's tummy, waiting for this joyous day. Today was her birth day. The day all children look forward to.

The doctor was wiping the blood off her little body. She screamed, and cried, as the doctor held her upside down. But, such is the way with newborns. The little newborn cried for mummy. She cried for that tender first hug, between child and mother.

But mummy was sick. She had the Post Partum Depression. She could not give any hugs today. She was crying. It was because she was sick.

Doctor told the nurse "We will have to be patient with the mother. Post Partum is actually quite common, even if we don't talk about it much. Have you reached the father?" Daddy was at a trip in America, in a place called Hawaii. Hawaii was far, very far. So daddy could not come over to the hospital to say hi to the newborn.

"Very well, put the child with the rest." The nurse put the baby in a crib, in a room full of other babies. All were screaming and crying. Some had someone looking at them from the window. Some of these people were looking for a specific baby. But no one was looking for the newborn.

"Heather…"- said mummy. The first gift a child ever receives is a name. The newborn had been given the name Heather. It rimes with feather. A meaningless name.

Heather was still crying. An old man, with but few days to live, stopped by the newborns, looking at them with love in his eyes. He saw Heather, and said "Aww, what a cute little girl."

End


	2. Chapter 2

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode: A Little Mobile above the Little Crib

A mess. Heather's room was a mess. On the ground, to the left of her crib was a broken mobile, a little toy that hangs above cribs to help infants fall asleep. To the right of her crib, a little monkey doll had its arms ripped apart. The crib was empty now, but less than two hours ago; a child was going to sleep in it.

Two hours ago, Heather, who had turned one year old that day, stared at the new mobile she got today. There was a little moon, a little star, a little cow, a little plane, and a little fairy (Downstairs, a door is heard being opened)

The sheets were fit for a baby: soft, clean, warm and snuggly. She was snuggling her sheets, and reached for her little monkey doll. ("Where the hell have you been?") The doll was so cute; it was round ("I was out") soft, with purple fur, a long tail, and a happy face. It even held a banana in its hand ("You missed Heather's birthday party.").

The doll was not a birthday present. She's had it for a while now. It was a gift from an old man, who thought Heather was the cutest baby he had ever seen. He bought her that monkey, gave it to a nurse ("Too bad.") and told that nurse to give it to Heather. That man died three days later. He had no family, so no one cried at his funeral. But, the day he died ("Clyde, you need to spend more time at home") Heather cried incessantly.

Heather was smiling, the mobile ("Where is it that you go to so often?") was rather cute. She began to giggle. When it spun, the mobile played ("Don't ask") the sweetest lullaby she had ever heard. She ("Why not?") loved that lullaby. It was so sweet, ("Where I go is none of your damn business!") so tender, so ("Don't you raise your voice at me!") soft. She ("Get off my case! I'll yell if I want to!") was just ("Where you hanging around some whore!?") about ("Don't you dare call her that!") ready to ("You admit it, you unbelievable bastard!") fall asleep.

"Listen Susan, I hang around who I want when I want. If I want to hang around and share a drink with a female friend, I will and you won't have a say in the matter!" "You jerk! You are a married man! You have a toddler to take care of! And you are skimping your duties as a father just so you can fool around with some floozy!" "She is no floozy! She is a budding actress working at a cocktail bar!" The door to Heather's room bursts open. Heather's mum enters, red in the face and tears in her eyes. She is followed by Heather's father. "Where are you going with our daughter!?" Heather wakes up, and begins to cry. "I'm going far away! I'm sick of you, you snake!" Susan picks Heather up. She bumps her head with the mobile. In her fury, she picks it up and throws it to the ground. The mobile breaks soon afterward. "That's real mature, Susan! Break all her toys while you're at it!" "SHUT UP!!!" Susan, with Heather, leaves. Clyde is left in Heather's room, fuming. In his anger, he picks up the monkey doll and tears its arms off.

End


	3. Chapter 3

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 3: Mummy's makeup.

How much energy does a two year old have! Heather loved to run, jump, giggle, laugh, sing and dance. How energetic!

How curious can a two year old be! Heather loved to look at bugs on the ground, at books in the shelf, at all things that were unfamiliar. How curious!

When Heather was two, she was truly alive. She had energy, she had curiosity. To live each day as a toddler, that should be our goal. A toddler knows how to live. Heather once knew that.

A typical day for Heather once consisted of looking through the house for something new to discover. One day, she found it. It was the first time she entered her parent's room by herself. She looked all over the room, and found many things that caught her eye. Daddy's shoes, mummy's shoes, mummy and daddy's closet, the BIG bed, among other things. Then, she saw a big table with a mirror. It was mummy's makeup table.

Curiosity exists so that we may be inspired to learn more about the world. As adults, we say to ourselves that curiosity is dangerous. To a toddler, that concept is alien. Lack of curiosity exists only amongst adults.

Heather wanted to see the mirror SO bad. She began to climb the chair in front of the table. She made it! Oh, wow! What a pretty little girl, right there in the mirror!

There were lots of pretty bottles on the table. Heather could not open them, but she accidently dropped some on the floor. The smell was so good. There were some powders on the table. Heather knew how to work them. She saw mummy put them on her face so many times. So Heather began to put the powders on her face. She saw some lipsticks. Heather knew how to use those too. So, she put some on.

Susan had finally arrived from her manicure. When she saw what Heather was doing, she screeched. "You! Heather, bad baby! Look at that mess you made! Ugh, you broke my hundred dollar perfumes! And that's MY makeup! BAD GIRL, Heather!" Clyde heard the commotion, and rushed upstairs. "For the love of God, Susan, leave the poor girl alone! She's just a kid!" "SHUT UP! Clean her up while I clean THIS up!" Clyde simply sighed. He didn't feel like fighting today.

In the bathroom, Clyde was carefully wiping the makeup off Heather's face. "Little girls don't need makeup, Heather. Makeup is for grownups only." Heather was starting to cry. 'Oh, honey, don't cry. Listen, mummy simply loves makeup a little too much. She didn't mean to yell at you. She just got a little mad at the mess she made. She doesn't hate you or anything." Clyde looked dejected now. "Last year, daddy was so mad at mummy, he didn't want to be around her for a while. So, daddy made a new friend. A girlfriend. The two of us had such a wonderful time together. But, our friendship kind of got in the way of my marriage. Because daddy loved you more than his little friend, he stopped seeing her. Daddy didn't want you to grow up without him by your side, you know?" Clyde was sad, now. "I'm so glad you don't understand what I'm saying. Betcha by tonight, all this will be forgotten." But Clyde was not speaking to the same Heather he knew for the last two years.

Children absorb their environments. It's how they transform themselves, create ho they are. Heather had begun to absorb her environment already. And she was not always absorbing good things. Today, she absorbed some BAD things.

End


	4. Chapter 4

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 4: On the Other Side of the Window.

To want. When we begin to want, do we lose ourselves? What does it mean to want? What do we want? What would a toddler want? What did 3 year old Heather want?

Heather was out for a walk at the mall with her mother. Her mother had gone to get her weekly manicure. They were on their way to the salon, when Heather saw something she liked. Candy. A candy store. So many treats sat at the other side of that window, so many gumdrops and chocolates, mints and cherry treats, marshmallows…

Marshmallows… In the future…

Heather wanted a candy. Or maybe two. Maybe three. Heather had quite the sweet tooth, really. But, mother said no. "No, Heather." "Why, mummy?"

Why? Why are we denied what we want? Why can't we get what we want?

Mother was in no mood to argue. She needed her coffee. She sat down to drink. Heather was rather uneasy. She still wanted candy. As soon as mother finished drinking coffee, they continued on their way to the salon. After three hours in the salon, it was time to go home.

Why? Why can't we always get what we want?

Mother saw a beautiful dress. She was enamored by it. She HAD to have it. Heather was bored. Mother saw a great bikini, and made that purchase. Heather saw an ice cream shop. Now she wanted ice cream. "No, Heather." 'Why, mummy?" It was time to go home.

They passed by the candy store again. Heather wanted candy. This time, she let go of mother's hand, and rushed headed towards the store. But mother stopped her. "No, Heather!" Heather tried to come up with a way to get rid of what had been stopping her. She considered violence. She then settled for a tantrum. But mother was in no mood. SMACK! "Heather Winslow! You better start behaving like a little lady right now! You can't always get what you want, and crying NEVER helps!"

It is good to be denied our wishes every now and again. Part of what makes us worthwhile is our need to struggle to get what we want. It improves us. Makes us people. To be DENIED ultimately helps us evolve. But, the lesson is lost when the teacher does not go through the same trials. So, Heather learned a very different lesson that day…

End


	5. Chapter 5

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 5: My Best Friend

Children love to play. Children love being with other children. Many times, children ask for little brothers or sisters, so they may have someone to play with. Loneliness, for people of all ages, tends to feel like a disease. This is especially true for children. But, children often employ a new tactic to battle loneliness: imaginary friends. Heather was no exception. Her imaginary friend was called Mrs. Snuffles.

"More tea, Mrs. Snuffles?"- asked Heather. Heather was in her room, sitting at her little table with a tea set. It was a toy, of course. She sat in front of an empty chair. "Mummy said that my baby sister will be coming home soon! I can't wait! Soon, the three of us will be playing hide and seek, having tea parties, all that fun stuff!" Heather 'poured' some tea into the cup facing the empty chair. "Daddy told me that being a big sister is VERY important. He said it's a lot of res- res- respon (she stutters a little) satility!" Heather took a sip of her 'tea'.

Mrs. Snuffles had been in Heather's life for about a few months now. Mrs. Snuffles was born one day, when Susan had a headache and Clyde was on a business trip. She and Heather had been inseparable ever since.

Soledad, the house maid, rushed towards Heather's house. "Heather, your mother is having the baby!" Heather let out a squeal. How exciting! Baby sister is coming!

Heather eagerly awaited her baby sister's arrival. She doodled a picture of her family, which included Mrs. Snuffles. "Look, Mrs. Snuffles! That's you!" She pointed to a drawing of a tall lady with pink hair. "That's me!" She pointed to a drawing of a little girl with black hair, and a big smile. "That's my little sister!" She pointed to a picture of a little baby, which was actually a smiley face wrapped in a blanket. "There's mummy and daddy!" She pointed to a picture of a tall man and woman. They were not smiling; rather, they seemed to be frowning a little. They were also rather apart, because Heather, Mrs. Snuffles and the baby were between them.

No baby sister ever arrived. But, Heather was just as happy to meet her new baby brother, Damien. "Look, Mrs. Snuffles, that's my baby brother!" Susan looked worried. Clyde, who had come home early from his trip, kneeled in front of Heather, and said: "Heather, look, Mrs. Snuffles is not real, okay? Please, stop talking to her." Clyde thought that he had done Heather a favor. But the tender age of 4 can be too soon to stop having imaginary friends. After Damien came home, Heather stopped talking to Mrs. Snuffles. It didn't take long for her to forget her imaginary friend.

End.


	6. Chapter 6

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 6: My First Day of School!

Heather was going to school today. It was her first day of school. She was rather excited. Susan accompanied her on this momentous occasion. "We're going to have a lot of fun, right mummy?"- said Heather. Susan, however, did not answer right away. Instead, she said: "The important thing is that YOU have fun."

Never before had Heather seen so many children. Some were playing with blocks. Others were coloring pictures. And still others were playing other games. Heather wanted to play too. Mrs. Teacher seemed like a nice old lady. "Ok, Heather, this is goodbye now." Huh!? "But why, mummy?" "Heather, look. (Sigh) School is… where little children, like you, go to learn things. It's a part of growing up." "But, I…" "You're getting to be a big girl, Heather. School is your first step to becoming a grownup." Heather was tearing up now. "Now, Heather. Crying won't help you today. School is important, so be a good little girl, ok?" and with that, Susan said her goodbyes. Heather was all alone now.

Heather wanted to play with the rest of the kids. She approached the kids that were coloring. They didn't notice her. She was too shy to get them to notice her. She then approached the kids that were playing with blocks. They didn't notice her either. She made a small attempt to get them to notice her, but to no avail.

Heather went to the kids playing games. They didn't notice her either She made every attempt to get them to notice her. Eventually they did. Then they ignored her. Most of these kids knew each other already. Heather was a stranger to them.

Dejected, Heather then quit trying to play with the other kids. At snack time, she ate alone. At nap time, she didn't sleep. She was the only girl not smiling when school ended that day. No one said goodbye to her either. Susan picked her up from school after all the other kids had gone.

End


	7. Chapter 7

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 7: I want to be the Sun!

The First Grade Class was throwing a school play. It was about all the different seasons. There were many parts, like the Leaf for autumn, the Flower for spring, clouds, and etcetera. However, the star of the show was the Sun. Heather wanted to be the Sun.

Heather read all the Sun's lines (over 50 in total). She practiced, and practiced, and practiced. Eventually, she memorized ALL the lines.

The day had finally come, when Mrs. McLane would announce who got which part. Johnny was the Snowflake. Lisa was the Flower. Tommy and Gina were clouds. Finally, there were only two parts left: the Leaf and the Sun. Heather was very excited. When she auditioned, she blew everyone away with her acting ability. "And our Leaf is… Heather!!! Congratulations!!!" But, Heather was not happy. "But, teacher, I wanted to be the Sun." Mrs. McLane looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry, but I simply thought little Lindsay was better for the part."

Though Heather was rather upset, she dedicated herself to her part. Eventually, the day of the play had arrived. Heather was a little nervous about getting onstage, though.

The play could not be described as an achievement in Child Theater. Lindsay was particularly horrible in her art. She stuttered, tripped on stage, forgot lines, and constantly turned her back to the audience. But, she was so adorable; the audience (mostly parents of the children) simply clapped and cheered her on.

"Gee, mom. That girl SUCKS at this!"- said Mrs. McLane's son. "C'mon, Chris, this is only a kid's show. No one comes for the acting. Everyone comes simply to see their kids prance about on stage." 'But, wasn't there ANY kid that could do better?" "Well, there is this girl in my class, Heather. She recited her lines PERFECTLY." "Why didn't you pick her?" "Showbiz is more than talent. Chris. Looks play a big part. Lindsay was the cutest girl in my class. Heather, however, wasn't pretty enough." Chris simply nodded. He knew his mom knew what he was talking about. He walked out from backstage without ever noticing the little girl crying her eyes out in the corner. Heather had heard everything.

End


	8. Chapter 8

Children Waiting For the Day

Episode 8: Georgie

When do we learn about death?

Heather was just sitting in the playground, doing nothing. She is then approached by a little boy. His name is Georgie. "Hi, I'm Georgie. I'm six."- He says to her. "Hi. I'm Heather. I'm seven." Georgie looks at her, and says "Want to play?" She says "Sure!" and so, Heather makes a new friend.

Puppy heaven, goldfish heaven, kitty heaven…

Heather and Georgie were inseparable. Georgie loved coming over to Heather's house. She loved baking him cakes in her Easy Bake Oven. He loved eating them. She loved playing House with him. He loved being the daddy, if Heather played the mummy. They loved being together. Special Friends, Best Friends, Forever…

How long is forever?

One day, Georgie did not go to school. Heather missed him dearly. The next day, he did not go to school either. Heather worried about him. The next day, still no Georgie. He had gone to some place called a 'hospital'. He was sick. Heather visited him whenever she could. Her visits made Georgie feel better.

Then, one day…

Heather had gone back home from school. She was happy because today she was going to see Georgie. As she rushed to her room, she had not noticed that her parents were both in the living room. They had a look that Heather had never seen before. "Heather?"- spoke Susan. She looked ready to cry. "What, mummy?" Susan could not get the words to come out of her mouth. Clyde looked no better. He too seemed to be struggling. Finally, he said- "We got a call today, from Georgie's parents." Susan finally broke into tears. Not her fake 'I just got a bad manicure' tears Heather had gotten used to. Real tears. Heather looked confused. "What's wrong?"- She asked.

Some kids are lucky enough to learn about death from puppy, goldfish or kitty heaven. Others, from saying their last goodbye to grandma or grandpa. Heather learned about death saying goodbye to her special friend, Georgie. And she cried for many nights soon after.

End.


	9. Chapter 9

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 9: I Love Chocolate!

Chocolate! Sweet, sweet chocolate!

Heather loved chocolate. Though she loved it as a child, she only started to REALLY love it at age 8. It tasted so sweet to her lips, so gooey in her tongue, so juicy down her throat. Chocolate brightened her day. Chocolate made her smile. Chocolate tasted good…

Whenever Heather brushed her teeth, she would look at herself in the mirror. Every time she looked in the mirror, she would smile, because she saw a girl worth looking at.

Heather ate chocolate for dessert after lunch. She would eat chocolate after dinner for dessert. She would eat it as a snack. As a midnight snack. As an afternoon snack. Anytime, chocolate was eaten.

Heather took real good care of her teeth. Though she did get a few cavities, she always brushed after every meal, and flossed. That's why her teeth were so bright and shiny.

At age nine, the other kids were giving Heather names. She would often be called porky, fatty, egg body, fat girl, choco breath, amongst other names. But, Heather never grew upset over this. Nothing made Heather sad, because she was such a happy girl.

There was one day of the year that Heather hated. This was April 8th, the day she eats chocolate nonstop. The day she never smiles. The day Georgie was buried. Heather always locked herself in her room, eating chocolate on that day.

At age ten, the aches began. Heather started eating less chocolate, because it was giving her a tummy ache. So, she restricted her consumption to just a few chocolate bars a day.

One day, Heather got so sick from eating chocolate she had to throw up. It was late one night, when everyone was asleep. She looked at herself in the mirror. Suddenly, she no longer saw herself. She saw an ugly girl, a fat girl, a disgusting girl. And for a long time to come, that was all Heather ever saw in the mirror.

End.


	10. Chapter 10

Children Waiting for the Day

Episode 10: Why am I so ugly?

Heather hated looking at herself in the mirror. Every day, the mirror taunted her with the image of a fat, ugly girl.

At school, all the girls threw crumpled paper balls at Heather. They never hurt her. At least not her body. No, her body was always the same, fat, ugly blob. It was her feelings that were always hurt by those balls.

Heather took ballet lessons. She was good at it. That is for certain. However, she lacked something the other dancers had: a skinny body. The other girls always teased Heather, always called her names. The most common name for her was 'The blob'. When she was eleven, she was 'the blob'.

At twelve, Heather had a bad case of acne. Every day, the mirror taunted her with the image of an ugly, pimply girl. Heather hated her life now.

At eleven, she was the blob. But at twelve, she was 'pizza face'. Her face was simply disgusting. Her face was red with pimples, all of them big and red and gross. Some were green. They were filled with pus. Some of the guys would often poke these with a stick, in hopes of making them burst. The guys were so mean. Guys can be so cruel to ugly girls.

"Mum, please! I just want to wear a little of your makeup!"- Such was Heather's plea to her mother. But, her mother always said "You are too young. Maybe when you're older." Her mother couldn't understand. SHE was beautiful, but her daughter was ugly. And beautiful people often never think about those 'beneath them'.

Heather walked to school one day. On her way, many kids started making fun of her. "Hey, Pizza Face!!!" Such words always hurt Heather. She stated crying. She hated being called pizza face. "CRYBABY!!! GO HOME TO MUMMY AND SUCK ON A BOTTLE!!!!"- The kids started laughing. Kids are cruel.

Finally, she made it to school. She was going to get to class, when a rather large girl stopped her. Heather tried to move around her, but the large girl always stood in her way. The girl, whose name was Becky, extended her hand toward Heather. She then knocked the books off Heather's hands. "Pick'em up, clumsy!"- Taunted Becky. Heather withheld tears, and reached for her books. Becky then kicked her head, and Heather was knocked back. A few kids had left their classrooms, to see what was happening. "Get up, Pizza the Blob!"- Shouted Becky. The kids began to laugh at that name. Then, Heather did the unthinkable. With all her fury, she punched Becky straight in the mouth. Becky fell to the floor, and the kids started chanting "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

The school principle, upon hearing the crowd, rushed out of his office. He stood behind Becky, who was now red in the face with anger. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!?"- He roared. The kids said that Heather and Becky where in a fight. And they all concurred that Heather threw the first punch.

Becky was given a week's worth of detention for fighting on school grounds. Heather, however, was suspended for two weeks. Her parents grounded her for four weeks, taking away her TV privileges. No one wanted to hear her side of the story. The world is cruel to ugly people.

End.


	11. Chapter 11

Children Waiting for the Day…

Episode 11: Not Even a Get Well Card

Heather was in the hospital. She was ill.

She had been sick for about a week. The doctor said it could take a long while for her to get well again. So, Heather could only wait for that day. Her parents visited every day. They could not stay at the hospital, in her room. Clyde had to work. It was Susan who would try her best to stay, but she would sometimes go home so she could change her clothes, take a shower, and sometimes get some sleep. It was hard for the whole family.

Heather stayed next to a sick child. And every day, she would watch as he got a few get well cards from his classmates. He would never read them out loud; he would simply read them quietly. Though Heather was grateful for his consideration, she would often wish he would read a card out loud.

Heather stayed confined in bed. She would get about an hour of exercise a day. However, the room she stayed in had a faulty TV set. T would not work sometimes. She didn't have a window to look out of. She didn't even have books to read.

Heather watched as the boy next to her read some of his cards. She was a little jealous. No one from her school had sent her a card. No, no one had sent her a card. Not even the teachers.

Heather thought about why no one sent her anything. She thought that, maybe, everyone simply didn't know what to write. She thought, maybe, everyone was simply too sad to send her a card. Or maybe, no one wanted to write a card wishing well someone they didn't even know. Yeah, that had to be it. No one knew Heather that well, so they would feel awkward sending a card.

A few days later, a classmate of Heather's was admitted into the hospital. Heather recognized her as Sally, one of her P.E. classmates. "Hey"- Heather said to Sally. 'Oh, uh hi Pizz… er…" "I'm Heather." "Yeah, I know. We take P.E. together." Heather's face lit up a little. Finally, someone who knew her from School. "What happened to you?"- inquired Heather. "I fell from the rope. Broke my leg. Going to be here a week or so." 'Wow, I've been here a week too." "Yeah, I know." "Then, if you knew I was sick, how come…?" "Look, I gotta go." Sally was sent to her room.

The next day, Heather got out of bed to visit Sally. She noticed that Sally got a get well card. Heather decided to go back to her room, and not bother Sally anymore. Even after Sally went back to school, Heather never received a card.

End.


	12. Chapter 12

Children Waiting For the Day…

Episode 12: The Fall, part 1: A Nightmare is born

Wrath. One of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Science tells us that anger is an emotion that had evolved from our primal desire and need for self defense, against predators that included our animal ancestors as part of their menu. Our ancestors would summon their anger to defend themselves, when running away was no longer an option. Most, if not all, of the animals that hunted us down are now long gone from this world. All but one…

Religion tells us that Wrath, or anger, is a sin. They tell us that Anger is the cause of demonic influences. Demons that want to use us as tools to bring down harm upon our fellow man.

Both fields are correct...

Heather had made friends with the most popular girl at school, Leona Travis. Ever since she lost all that weight, making friends had become much easier. In fact, even the teachers were much nicer to her now. For Heather to be a part of the 'in' crowd was a dream come true to her.

"Heather! Come over here, please."-said Leona. Heather had, in only a short while, become Leona's BFFFL, best female friend for life. "Yeah, Leona?" "Listen, I've got a TON of things to do tonight, right? Well, I've got SO MANY responsibilities, I'm afraid I won't be able to do my math homework. You wouldn't mind helping me out, would you?"- said Leona, in her sweet voice. "Sure!"- responded Heather.

Heather spent the whole night working not only on her own homework, but also with Leona's. What did Leona have to do that was so important? She was at Tim's party, dancing topless and drunk. Leona was only two years older than Heather. She was sixteen.

The following day, Leona was feeling a little dizzy and nauseous. "Hey, Heather, do me a little favor?" Heather said "Sure, Leona!" "Listen, I'm going home. Tell the teachers that I'm volunteering at the, uh, gym. MAKE SURE THEY DON'T CALL MY PARENTS! Oh! And I'm supposed to wash the cheerleading outfits today. Do that, too. Bye!" "Bu-but…" Heather had an AV Club meeting. Leona had no idea she was a member. It was the only secret Heather kept from Leona.

The next day, Heather had a run in with Jackie, president of the AV club. "Heather!! You were supposed to show up yesterday! We had a meeting!" "I know, I'm sorry, I…" "If you're not going to show up to our meetings, then drop out of the club!" "I know! Listen it's just…" "No excuses!" And with that, Jackie left. That's when Leona showed up. "Heather! Mind doing me a little favor?" "Okay…" "Listen, go to the AV club, and get me one of their video cameras. I need to borrow it." "Huh? What for?" "Never mind that! Just get it, okay?" Why would Leona ask for a video camera? Heather wondered about that.

Heather asked Jackie for the camera. "Absolutely not! Those cameras are school property! They are only to be used for official school activities. They are not to be used for student's personal use! Those are the rules!" Heather nodded, rather nervously. Jackie WAS rather scary. However, Leona was Heather's BFFFL, so Heather HAD to get her that camera. So, when Jackie wasn't looking, she swiped one.

"Thanks, Heather! Okay, tonight there is something I REALLY got to do. Here is my Social Studies homework. Do it for me, okay?" And with that, Leona left. Heather simply looked at the sheet of paper. There was a little sadness in her eyes.

On Thursday, Heather had to attend another meeting of the AV club. It was an emergency meeting. "Yesterday, someone broke into school, and stole all the video cameras!"- Jackie said, in tears. Heather simply looked on, but on the inside, she was glad no one would suspect that she 'borrowed' one of the cameras.

On Friday, during math class with Mr. Mason, Heather was passing a little paper to Leona. It read: "Leona, I need you to return that camera I lent you." Leona then handed Heather a paper, which read: "I don't have it anymore." Leona's cell phone then began to ring. Mr. Mason marched toward Leona, and confiscated the phone. After class, Leona said "Heather, now that Mason's gone, see if you can get my phone back!" Heather snuck back into the classroom, opened the drawer, and found the phone. She also found the camera she lent to Leona. Heather was shocked. "What's this doing here?" "HEATHER! Give me my phone!" Heather gave her the phone, but did not tell her about the camera. She decided to simply, and quietly return the camera to the Club. "Oh! Before I forget, here, this is my Science homework for the weekend. I can't do it, my mom's sick. Could you…? "Oh, uh, sure."

Heather snuck into the AV club room. She noticed Jackie was there, working on the new presentation for the School rally. That's when Tim walked in, and said; "Hey Jackie! Tomorrow I'm having another party! Want to come?" 'I don't know, is that slut Leona going to be there?" "Of course! After that topless dance she did last week, she's GOTTA come!" "Hmm, I'd rather not go then." "Awww, come on!" "No." "Can't I at least take you out for pizza today?" The two left. Heather was shocked at what she heard. She had been lied to, she had been used, by the girl she thought to be her friend. But, she tried to ignore it.

Something about the camera demanded her attention. She decided to at least see what it had recorded. Maybe she was better off not knowing.

Heather was in her room, crying to herself. What did she do…?

The rally was well under way. Leona was with the other cheerleaders, rallying the crowd. The mascot was jumping around, and the school band was playing. The principal took to the stand- "And now, Miss Jackie Kennard, president of our own Audio Visual Club, will delight us with a video presentation." Jackie put the DVD she made in the Player, which projected onto a giant screen at the back of the Gym. Heather was feeling nervous. Will she get away with it?

The video went off without a hitch. The Football team was seen practicing in the video. It was then followed with each member briefly saying (and showing) how confident they were in their chances to win the big game. Then, I showed a new routine the cheerleaders planned, just for the big game. The crowd LOVED the routine; they were going crazy over it. Then, a section about the cheerleaders saying how excited they were to be so close to the championship began to play. Then, something shocking…

Mr. Mason was on screen, with Leona in the background. "So, how well did I do on the test?"- She asked him. "Terribly. But, I know of a way I can improve your grade." "Oh, Mr. Mason…" "Please, call me Bob." "Oh, Bob, you are too good to me." "Oh yeah, now YOU be good to ME." Leona began to undress…

Nobody noticed Heather leaving the rally before the video got 'hot'. Nobody noticed the small satisfied smile she had on her face. Nobody noticed, because they were so busy hollering, sneering and yelling obscenities at the picture on screen. There she was, Leona in all her nudity, getting penetrated by the school's most hated teacher. The entire school, education district, the whole CITY was in uproar over what had happened.

Leona moved out of town, changed her name, and was forced to go to a catholic school. Bob Mason was not only fired from his job, he was also arrested for pedophilia. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail, and had his teaching license permanently revoked. Jackie was accused of deliberately including that portion of the video. Though she insisted on her innocence, she had no proof that she did NOT make the video. Even if she did NOT include that portion of the video, she was still held responsible for it. For that, she was expelled from school. Jackie would live the rest of her life, never knowing that it was Heather who included that part in the video.

And when Heather found out about Leona, Mr. Mason and Jackie, she locked herself in her room, and laughed. She laughed at the misfortune of the girl who wronged her and the teacher she hated. And though Jackie was an innocent, she felt NO remorse for her misfortune. And thus, a nightmare was born…

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 13

Children Waiting For the Day

Episode 13: The Fall, part 2: She's out of Control

At age 15, Heather was Queen Bee of her school. She was the most desired girl in school, desired by nearly all male students, most of the male teachers, and even some of the girls. She constantly wore skimpy and revealing outfits to school, which were against the dress code. She got away with it because the school principle had a secret crush on her. In fact, there was a rumor going around that he kept a picture of her in his wallet. That was a bad rumor, but there was some truth to it. Unbeknownst to all, including Heather, it was a picture he took of her in the girl's shower.

At age 15, Heather was rumored to have a secret boyfriend. Some said he was from a different school. That was true; he was from the University of Toronto. He was 23.

At age 15, it was rumored that Heather was a slut, who would sleep with anybody that offered her money. That rumor didn't last long…

At age 15, Heather was rumored to have had a hand in the expulsion of 13 students, 8 of them girls. That was not true; Heather was responsible for the expulsion of only 7 students, 4 of them girls. They were the ones that started that rumor. The girl did it because they were jealous of Heather. The boys did it because they wanted it to be true… But it was a false rumor, a fabrication against her character.

At age 15, Heather became Captain of the Cheer Squad, Captain of the Debate Team, the top Mathlete, and the queen of the Science Fair. She was everywhere, doing everything. She had lots of followers because of that.

At age 15, Heather had her first taste of alcohol. She didn't like it much. She kept herself from getting drunk, but had no problem seeing her underlings get wasted.

At age 15, Heather saw her boyfriend hitting on another girl at a party they were attending. She was immediately jealous. She was angrier still at the fact that she was flirting back. She would have marched toward them, given them a lip, but she had an idea. She got the two of them drunk, and 'caught' them having sex. Using her camera phone, she snapped pictures of the two and posted them over the internet. However, the girl the guy was flirting with was underage, so he was sent to jail on accounts of pedophilia. Heather was NOT remorseful at the fact.

At age 15, Heather's parents lost all their love for her. Her mother hated seeing her dress like a whore. Her father hated seeing her spend so much money on clothes and jewelry. Her mother hated the fact that men were always looking at her daughter lustfully. Her father hated seeing his daughter walk around half naked. Her mother hated the fact that she used almost as much make up as her daughter. Her father hated the fact that Heather never said 'please', 'thank you' or 'excuse me' anymore. Both hated the fact that they lost control over their daughter. And both learned to fear her.

At 15, Heather knew what she wanted to be: a celebrity. She even knew how she wanted to go at it: go to one of those reality shows she enjoyed watching. She just needed to wait till she was older…

Over in Ottawa, famed television personality Chris McLane was discussing the newest project. "Okay bra, here's the idea: get 12 teens, and put them in some crappy old camp. Make them do challenges, make 'em vote each other off, you know, typical Reality TV fare."- said Chris. "What's the hook? What will separate this show from the rest?"- asked Joshua Rollins, one of the television producers. "The hook is that the stunts and challenges will be EXTREME!!!"- replied Chris. "For example?" "How about a thousand foot cliff dive?" "I love it! What do we call it? Camp TV?" Chris shook his head. Then, inspiration…

To be continued…

Author's note: I have only three chapters remaining. The ending will BLOW you away…


	14. Chapter 14

Children Waiting For the Day

Episode 14: The Fall, part 3: Schadenfreude

Damien was watching that show his older sister would be on, Total Drama Island. He decided to watch it in his room, for no good reason other than to have a little privacy. It was the big premiere. "Yo! We Coming at you live…"- Chris McLane, the host of the show, was on the TV. "That guy is such a loser."-said Damien. The campers were making their arrival. Damien saw Heather act like a brat on TV. He smiled, seeing the TV portray her in such a negative light brought him a sort of joy. Even better, she was doing this to HERSELF. After the episode ended, he theorized who would get eliminated. "First is Heather, then that homeschooled hick, then that nerd girl, then that dumb jock, the fat guy, the fat black girl, the fat Asian girl, the skinny kid, the party dude, the nerd, that skinny black chick, the crazy girl, that goth girl, the muscular girl, the know it all, the punk, the wanna-be musician, the black dude, that muscular model, that other girl with short hair, and finally the big boobs chick, leaving that surfer girl as the winner."

Jackie was sitting at home, working on her computer. She decided to take a break. Her friends told her about this new reality TV show, so she decided to watch that. She didn't recognize Heather. However, when LeShawna threw her off the cliff, Jackie burst out laughing.

Chris's mom, Liana, was watching her son's new show. She was quite proud of how her son had become such a celebrity. It was the fifth episode of the show, the 'talent' contest. She hated that Trent fellow, and felt that that Gwen girl was a loser who deserved to get kicked off in the next few episodes. However, she detested that Heather girl, seeing her as a talentless loser that would get nowhere in life, with a face like a dog. So, Liana was quite content seeing how Gwen humiliated her with those red ants.

Trini was a girl who had never met Heather, who lived in the Yukon area. However, she had grown to hate Heather, based on her actions on TV. Her favorite moment, thus far, on the show was that episode when LeShawna locked Heather in the fridge. LeShawna had become Trini's personal hero that day.

Mr. Oakley, Heather's school principle that secretly lusted over her, had been watching the show. He was following her progress, but he was also masturbating over her on every episode. The fact that she barely wore any clothes simply made it easier. The episode where she was stung by jellyfish and knocked unconscious was his favorite. He masturbated over the idea of her limp, unconscious body, and him making love to it.

Lisa never met Heather before in her life. However, she loved how humiliated Heather felt over Harold seeing her bare breasts, and LeShawna threatening to hurt her over the matter.

Ginger was Trent's number one fan. She was quite sore seeing him eliminated the way he was. The episode were Lindsay completely curses out Heather was her absolute favorite.

Leona was watching the show. She saw her old slave, Heather, on TV, something which filled her with resentment. However, she was in an inexplicable good mood after the episode where that crazy girl shot Heather with a tranquilizer. Seeing her old slave paralyzed from the neck down, it gave her a sense of justice in the world.

Seth loved watching Total Drama Island. His mom came into the room, and saw her son watching TV. "Hey son, what show is this?" He answered "Total Drama Island. Great show!" Seth's mother, Sharon, loved her son with all her heart. He was her treasure. She is overprotective of him. This is because her first son, George, died at a young age. "What's this show about?"- She asked. "A bunch of kids are on this island, doing challenges. It's for a ton of money. It's so funny!" Sharon saw a girl that caught her attention. She seemed snobby. 'Who's that?" "Oh! That's Heather. Everyone hates her, cuz she's a meanie." Heather? "She seems familiar… What's her last name?" "Winslow. Heather Winslow. Biggest jerk on the island. Probably all of Canada." Winslow!!? The same Heather who befriended her son Georgie, may he rest in peace? That same sweet girl who would come over after school every day to play with her son? The only person to ever befriend her son… grew up to be…?

Sharon watched Heather intently. She saw that goth girl and fat kid ganging up on her. Seeing Seth rejoice at such an occurrence gave her an idea of how hated Heather had become. She saw her wrestling alligators, getting dumped on manure, etc… However, when she saw her hair getting cut off against her will, her hearth couldn't take it anymore. "What happened to her? What happened to the sweet girl I knew so long ago?" Sharon then began to cry silently in her room.

End


	15. Chapter 15

Children waiting for the day

Episode 15: Redemption, part 1: I want you to promise me, you won't smile when I'm down, you won't laugh when I cry, and you won't leave me when I need someone to listen to my cries for help.

Hate mail. Mountains of hate mail. Perhaps it was proof of how hated Heather was. No, it is not was not definitive proof, for the letters only voiced the opinions of their respective writers. There were still plenty of people that had watched the show, but had NOT written a letter.

"**You're Mean!" "You're parents are probably ashamed of you!" "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" "You have no shame…" "Trent and Gwen 4 evah!!!!" "I would not hesitate to scream some words at you, should I ever see you in public." "I HATE YOU!!!!" "If I ever saw you crossing the street, I would not slow down." "YOU SUCK!!!" "Bitch!!!!" "Whore!" "I will kill you!" 'I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BITCH!!!!!!!!" "I would slice your chest open and feed your heart to my dog, but I don't want her to get sick." "Spawn of Satan…" "The world would be a happier place without you. Take the hint." "Please, kill yourself." "KILL YOURSELF! SPARE THE WORLD YOUR BITCHING!"**

Hell is supposed to be a punishment. No, the Ultimate punishment. Hell is the eternal prison for all the souls who have fallen short of the Glory of God. However, with time, ALL punishments begin to wear out their effect, becoming pointless if dragged too long. Same is true for Hell. In fact, what would happen if a soul was sent to Hell on a technicality, and not through any particular fault of their own? Would this soul not shun God even further, curse His name for all eternity? Would that soul not have the right to do so?

Heather felt like that. She felt all this hatred was undeserved. She played the game the way she knew how. COURTNEY was the one who placed a million dollars over the lives of four boys. EVA was the one who constantly threatened to kill her fellow Bass team. DUNCAN was the one who harassed the other campers for no just cause. Yet, SHE was the one with the hate mail. And ONLY she had hate mail. Even the home school had a few good letters. No, SHE had to have people hate her. And why?

When it came time for everyone to say goodbye to each other, nearly everyone said how much they would miss each other. The first person to leave was Owen, who waved goodbye to everyone like crazy. His parents smiled and waved to all the other 20 campers, and shot death glares at Chris. The second person to leave was Duncan, who left by way of bus. It was the bus from Juvenile Hall. Then Courtney left, Katie and Sadie, Gwen, Bridgette, Noah, Cody, Beth, Lindsay, Geoff, Eva, Justin, Tyler, Izzy, Trent, DJ, LeShawna, Harold and Ezekiel. The only camper left was Heather, who had hidden from the others. She didn't want any more trouble, not from ANYONE.

Chris then left. Chef left, followed by Phil. Camera Guy 2, Camera Guys 3, 4 5 and 6 left as well. The blond intern was the last to leave, but Heather was still there. She was still waiting for her parents to come pick her up.

There was actually one more person who had yet to leave. He was a grip. He saw Heather. "Hey- he said to her- Everyone else left." Heather didn't even turn to face him. She didn't even acknowledge him. "Hmph."-was all he said. He went back; he still needed to clean up the set.

Three hours had past. The grip had finally finished cleaning up. It was nearly dusk. So, he set off for the exit. And there she was again, at the same spot she took just three hours ago. "Still here?"- He asked. Again, no answer. She simply stood there. The grip simply nodded, muttering something under his breath.

The grip should have seen the look on Heather's face. Her eyes buried an ever growing hatred toward her fellow man, her heart shrinking with every passing minute. She was forming venomous thoughts within her mind, thoughts that, should she ever materialize into action, would remove her status as a human being. She screamed of nightmare's delights from within her soul. The world, so cold and cruel, had successfully created a dark child, a being of anger.

The grip returned, with a slightly annoyed look on his face. "Hey you! Come here!" Heather snapped out of her thoughts, and fixated her gaze on the grip. She followed him, to where there was a large pile of mail. "This is all yours. You have to take it with you." "No." "Hey, come on! You have to take it!" "No!" "We're not allowed to keep these!" "Too bad!!" "AUUUUGH!!! Now I see why your parents didn't want to come pick you up!" For but a fraction of a second, Heather seemed hurt. But, hurt can so easily be replaced by anger. Heather only allowed her anger to show. "Screw them!!!" The grip calmed himself, and said "Pick up your mail." "N-No" "Why not?" "I- I don't…" The grip looked at her sternly.

"Something I been needing to ask you. Why did you do it?" Heather looked at him, slightly startled. 'Do what?" "Where do I start? Oh, how about: Why did you read Gwen's diary on TV?" Heather looked away, for a second, and then said: "Cuz I hate her." "Tell me the truth." "That WAS the truth!" "Okay, why do you hate Gwen then?" NO ONE had ever asked her that. Not even Gwen herself. "I… don't know why…" "What did she ever do to you?" Heather knew the answer to that one: nothing. Gwen had done NOTHING to Heather. "I, I hated her, but, I don't know why…" "Why didn't you make any friends here? The truth, please." Heather was about to say: Because everyone here is a loser!! But, something inside her made her say- "I, I guess I tried making friends… with Beth and Lindsay." "And yet you…" "I know!! Okay? I know!!!" "Didn't you think those two tried being your friends for real?" "No, they were NEVER my friends!! They just wanted to hang out with me… because…" her voice trailed off. The grip then said- "Do you treat your friends like dirt? Or was that just you giving those two the 'special BFF treatment?'" "No. I don't treat my friends like dirt." "Hmm?" "I… I have no friends." She started to tear up a bit.

"What you did to Gwen and Trent…" "I did it because… I hated Trent too." "Okay, I KNOW he did nothing to you." "Actually, he did. The camera never recorded it, but I tried to get his attention during our breaks from challenges. At least, in the early parts of the competition. But…" "He was too busy chasing Gwen… which explains the diary thing. And that OTHER thing." The grip was silent for a few minutes, and so was Heather. He simply kept looking at the letters.

"You don't want these letters?" "Would you… read me a few?"- Heather was looking down at the floor. The grip complied. He began to read the first letter. It read:

**Dear Heather:**

**I hate you. You are the meanest bully ever.**

**Ginger.**

The grip was not too surprised at the content. He read another one:

**Heather:**

**I have no respect for you. If you were to die, I would NOT even bat an eye.**

**Jackson**

Now, this one may have taken things too far. One more:

**Heather:**

**Included is a picture of me. Remember that face, it will be the last one you will see.**

**(Unsigned)**

"What the..!?"-The grip had dropped the letter. Truth be told, he had read enough. He had no words, for he was too shocked at the content of that last letter. "Was it bad?"- She asked. He did not answer. "All my mail is exactly that: hate mail. Do I… do I deserve to die because of what I did?" The grip could not believe what she just said. "No! Okay, it WAS a quite cruel what you did to Lindsay, Gwen and Trent. But… it does NOT merit hate of THIS magnitude! What the hell is wrong with these people?" She was rather surprised to hear that. But, the opinion of ONE person can't compare to what the majority said. And the majority said she was unforgivable, worthy of DEATH. And she has always believed that the Truth laid in the majority. Besides, he was still a stranger, just like the people from the letters. Why would his OPINION matter more than the opinions of others?

"Hey, I guess that you would want to…get rid of these…"- He said. She simply nodded. He piled the letter together on the floor. "Want to set them on fire?"- He asked. She nodded. "Let me get a match."

Hell is not a place. Hell is not a lake of fire, not an ice cold cavern, not a valley of shadows, not a land of tears and woe. It is not located at the center of the Earth, at the other side of the world, not in another planet, not in our minds, not in our hearts. Because Hell is not a PLACE, nor is it a Concept. Hell is simply other people. Heather was in Hell. We are ALL in Hell. There is simply no two ways about it, it's a FACT. When you live each day under the scrutiny of your fellow man, when you define yourself by what others see in you, when you put so much as a thought as to how you want to be perceived, you place yourself in the caverns from which Hope is but an illusion. However…

Heather was seeing the letters burn before her. However, she lay emotionless at the sight. Her wrath was at such a level that it could no longer even be expressed; only unleashed. The grip noticed this. "Hey, we missed one. From: Sharon Smith?" "Huh?" The name rings a bell to Heather. "Give me it." The grip gave her the letter. "Look, if it's another death threat, you can put it in with the rest." This is what the letter read:

**Dear Heather:**

**You may not remember me, but I remember you. I used to greet you at my house with a smile in my face. I used to serve you cookies whenever you came over. I used to look forward to you coming over to my house.**

**My son, may he rest in peace, used to talk about you all the time. He used to always look forward to school, because that is where he saw you. He loved it when you visited our house. He loved having you as a friend. You were his only friend, the only person who would talk to him, play with him. You brightened up what were the last of his days. Even when he was sick at the hospital, he was always grateful for the fact that you always visited. Oh, Georgie, he loved you very much.**

**You used to be such a sweet girl. But, when I saw you on TV, I could not believe that was you. I could not believe that the sweet girl who had befriended my son had become such a… No, I refused to believe it. I still refuse to believe it. **

**I want to see you again. But, I don't want to see that girl I saw on TV. I want to see the girl that was my son's friend, all grown up now. I will welcome that girl with open arms.**

**Please, tell me that you were NOT that girl. SHOW me you are NOT that girl.**

**I love you.**

**From, Sharon Smith.**

Heather could not hold back the tears. She let out all the tears she had harbored in her heart all this time, since God only knows when. For some reason, seeing her cry made the grip want to cry too. "I-I-I'm such a horrible person!!!!" Hearing that made the grip start to cry. Between sobs, he said "No, no you're not!" "Yes I am!!! I did so many horrible things!! I made Gwen cry, I betrayed Lindsay, I treated people like CRAP!!!" "But, you can make up for it!" "No, I can't!! Everyone hates me! Even I hate me!!!!" That did it for the grip. "There is ONE person in the world that cares for you…" He grabs her face, and kisses her lips. Heather gave in, and allowed her emotions to guide her. The entire wrath she had felt was gone. Now, she felt like a great weight had been lifted from her. She had NEVER felt this good before. And all because she was kissing a guy, a guy whose name she didn't even know… "What's your name?" "Paul. I'm Paul." And he took away her childhood that evening. Hence, the queen bee had died that night. Heather was a new woman.

When the rich man died, he called upon God. He did not ask for deliverance from Hell. He did not ask for a lake of water, or for a cool fresh spring. He did not even ask for a cup of water. He asked but to feel the wet finger of Lazarus, dipped in but a few drops of water. His wish was denied. But, God does not always deny us. Sometimes, he hears our cries of anguish. And when we ask for but a few drops of water to drink, he brings a refreshing rain. THAT was what Heather received. A few drops of refreshing water can make Hell feel like Heaven.

The following morning, the two had awoken in each other's embrace. "Now what?"- He asked her. "I, I don't know. I don't want to go back with my parents." He kisses her bare shoulder, and she holds his hand. "I feel like, a new woman today." She smiles, she hadn't smiled like this for a long time. It was a smile that can only be generated from contentment with one's life. "Maybe, you can live… with me."- He said to her. "Okay." "I can get a job, and you can finish school. We can do it, together. Yeah, let's do it! Let's get a new start! Together!" 'Okay!!!" "Heather, I, I love you." "I love you too, Paul." They kiss.

Clyde and Susan had finally arrived. Though they were not TOO eager, they came to pick up Heather. It would be a long time before they knew; their daughter had eloped with a stage grip named Paul.

To be concluded…


	16. Chapter 16

Children Waiting for the Day…

Final Episode: …They Feel Good

**Author's notes: It had to happen. This fic would not last forever. I had no intention of making this fic into one of those 'eternal' fics that go on for over one hundred chapters. No, I began writing this fic knowing I would not make it to 20 chapters. And I was right. I had originally conceived of this fic when Reading Paka-Simon-Trevor-Forever's fic 'Stars in the Ceiling'. It was a Heather fic, centering on her dying days. I found it lacking somewhat. I argued that, because Heather was so hated, it was hard to write a fic that made her human, least of all likable. That was when inspiration took in. I took the challenge to write such a fic. The idea danced in my mind for about a few hours, when I started writing. Of all the chapters, the Georgie chapter, Sun chapter and Schadenfreude chapters where there from the get go. All other chapters simply came to me on the spot. The Georgie chapter, to me, was surprisingly well liked. Truth be told, I kind of hated how it came out. But then again, I am my own harshest critic. But enough of that, you did not come here to read my notes. You came here to read my fic. It is with a mix of pride, and a heavy heart, that I give you the FINAL chapter of my biggest hit to date: Children Waiting for the Day…**

At age 24, Heather was truly happy with her life. She was NOT rich, she was NOT a celebrity, she was NOT the queen of Europe, she was NOT a supermodel, she was NOT married to a rich man, and she was NOT living in luxury. She lived in a small apartment in Newfoundland alongside her husband, Paul. The apartment had only one bathroom, a living room mixed with a kitchen, and only one bedroom. Paul worked like a dog at the docks, because he quit his job as a stage grip six years ago. He always left before 3:00 AM, and he never came home until 8:00pm. And he was always tired. However, none of this mattered to Heather. As far as she was concerned, she had all she needed.

Heather had good neighbors, who treated her with respect. She worked at a grocery store as a cashier. It was hard work, but she was well liked by her coworkers. She knew Paul loved her with all his heart, and the only reason why he worked so hard was to support the three of them. Yes, Heather had a child: 3 year old Megan, the sweetest little girl you would ever meet, and Heather's pride and joy. Heather loved Megan with all her heart, and dedicated herself to raising her. When Heather worked, Megan was placed in the care of Deborah, their next door neighbor. Heather's life was blissful.

When Heather finished High School, the first thing Paul did was announce that he would quit his job. "-But why?"- asked Heather. "I hate my job. The hours are long, I can't stand my co-workers, and frankly, I never wanted to be a grip. I wanted to be an actor. Only good thing that came out of THAT job was meeting you." The two moved away, somewhere where they could live in peace. Newfoundland turned out to be that place. The main reason they found that place was because Paul's uncle lived there.

Heather did indeed visit Sharon one time. When Sharon opened the door, Heather looked away; far too ashamed about the things she had done on the show, and far too scared to face the rejection of the woman who once thought of her as a surrogate daughter. She was quite surprised when Sharon pulled her into a tight embrace as soon as she had opened the door. The first words Heather said to Sharon were "I'm sorry… About what I did…" They both cried, Sharon over the joy of seeing Heather again, and Heather over the fact that her emotions simply overwhelmed her.

Heather never saw any of the other campers from the show again. She never even tried keeping in touch with any of them. She wanted to apologize for her behavior, she really did. But, she was scared. She didn't want to be rejected.

Heather saw her parents again one time. They didn't recognize her. She thought it was better this way. She thought they hated her. She would never know that her parents tried looking for her, and had in fact changed as people the day they realized their daughter had run away. Even Damien, who once hated his sister, missed her dearly, and began praying to God for her safety.

Heather met up with Jackie again while in Senior Year. They recognized each other. Jackie simply gave a curt nod, and Heather returned it. They last saw each other on graduation. They shook hands, each congratulating the other. Paul was in that ceremony, the only other person who congratulated Heather on her achievement. They were already married by that point.

Heather gave birth to Megan at age 21. Paul was the one that named her, after his dear grandmother. That was the happiest day of Heather's life. She didn't want to let go of Megan, but the doctors insisted on putting her in the baby room, while Heather recovered from the birth. Paul never left the nursery, always looking at his daughter. He also dedicated a few prayers to the less fortunate children who were born prematurely.

Those were angelic days. Then, one day…

Heather had received the news. She had developed a brain tumor. It was far too late to be treated. She had but a few weeks to live. Paul was devastated. Heather looked at her daughter…

Heather spent those few weeks at her job with her friends, with her neighbors, and with her family. She especially made sure to spend as much time with Megan as possible. Paul always argued that he could take an absence of leave, but Heather always told him "No. We both need to work hard for our daughter. She deserves it."

One day, Heather was putting Megan to bed. "Megan, my sweet. I want you to remember some things. In life, sometimes there are people that make other people want to cry. There are those that care only about stupid things, like clothes and money. There are people that will try to hurt you, try to trick you into doing what they want you to do. Please, sweetie, stay away from those people. And don't become like them. Be a good person, a good friend. Be someone who can make someone else smile, someone you can count on. Surround yourself with people you can trust, love and respect. And when you meet that special someone that will make you truly happy, I hope that he will love and respect you, like your father loves and respects me. And remember, just because I'm not going to be there in person, doesn't mean I'm not going to be there in spirit. I love you." Heather kissed Megan good night, turned off the lights, and went to the living room, to wait for Paul to come home.

Paul came home at 8:00PM. "Heather, I…" Paul, let's go to bed. It's Friday, we don't need to stay up late." Paul took a shower, changed into his night clothes, and went to bed, where Heather awaited him. 'Thank you Paul"-She said. "For what?" "You saved me." He looks at her, puzzled. "When? From what?" "After the show ended, when we met. You saved me from myself." "Huh?" "I was a wreck. I was a selfish, immoral little teenage girl who was mad at the world. I thought I hated everyone, that everyone was a loser, that everyone was beneath me. But, the truth was, I hated myself. I hated myself for being such a superficial, lying, backstabbing, two faced traitor. I hated myself because I gave other people reasons to hate me. Good reasons. I knew, somehow, I always knew. You, however, showed me the error of my ways. The night you held me for the first time, when you told me you cared for me. I was happy that time. You saved me from the monster I had become. That I allowed Myself to become. And you gave me happiness. You gave me a new life, a happy one. And you gave me Megan, the greatest gift of all. Thank you Paul, thank you." Paul was in tears now. She continued "I have some regrets. What I did on the show, what I did to Leona and Jackie, never telling my parents where I was… But, my biggest regret is that I won't get to see Megan grow. However, I feel, strangely okay with the idea of dying. I feel like, if I were to die tonight, that would be okay." Paul then said "But I'm not okay with it! Heather, I love you, and I'm not ready to lose you yet. Truth is, you saved ME too. I was on that horrible job, working for that piece of crap McLane. I hated my job, and my boss. I hated the fact that I worked my ass off on that dangerous set, and that no one respected me. That jerk even forced me to try out that dammed cliff jump. I was in the hospital for most of the show. That's when I first saw you, on TV. I didn't like what I saw, but I have to admit, and I am now rather ashamed of this, but seeing someone who acted so badly get their just desserts was about the only thing keeping me from killing myself. But, when I met you personally, I saw that you were so much more than what I saw on the idiot box. I saw your pain, your emotions. And all I wanted to do was help make you feel better. You gave me a new reason to live. And now, I have Megan too. I am not ready to lose you." Heather kissed Paul. Both were crying now. They made love tha night. Then, they both went to sleep in each other's embrace.

And Heather never woke up.

Outside, on that Saturday morning, children play innocently. They play games of tag, baseball, football and basketball. They play with dolls and toy cars. They play under the watchful gaze of their parents. They play under the sun. And they wait. They are all **Children Waiting for the Day they Feel Good.**

**Fin.**

**Coming soon: The sequel to this fic. "Retrospective!"**


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